Bracing device for screen-doors.



P. CHRISTENSEN. BRACING DEVICE FOR SCREEN DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1914.

m Patented Feb.16, 1915.

PETER CHRISTENSEN, 0F ARGENTA, ARKANSAS.

BRACING DEVICE FOR SCREEN-DOORS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1915.

Application filed November 25, 1914. Serial No. 873,870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER CHRISTENSEN, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Argenta, in the county of Pulaski and State ofArkansas, have made certain new and useful Improvements in BracingDevices for Screen-Doors, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in bracing devices for screen doorsor the like and it consists in the combinations, constructions, andarrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device which can be made atsmall cost and which will effectively brace the door without addingmaterially to the weight thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed which may be adjusted to doors of different sizes since it isprovided with means whereby the bracing device may be lengthened orshortened within limits.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the typedescribed in which the bracing of the upper and lower portions of thedoor may be independently effected.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specificationand the novel features of the device will be particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part ofthis application in which- Figure 1 is a face view of a door providedwith my improved bracing device, Fig. 2 is a similar view on an enlargedscale certain parts being broken away and others being shown in section,and Fig. 3 is an enlarged view along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I make use of a screen door of the ordinarytype having the side members 1, the bottom member 2, the top 3, and anintermediate cross member 4:. This forms the frame of the door andsupports the netting 5.

The bracing device preferably includes a casting of the shape shown inthe drawings. This consists of a rectangular body portion 6, which isprovided with longitudinal bores 7 and 8 respectively, these bores beingsubstantially parallel. In order to insure the engagement of the outerportions of the member 6 with the central cross member 1 I preferablyprovide recesses 6", as shown in Fig. 8.- As will be seen from thedrawings both sides of this casting 6 are-made alike so that the devicemay be used either on one side or the other, thus obviating thenecessity of facing it one particular way. The casting 6 is providedwith an opening 9 through which a screw 10 may enter.

In conjunction with the member 6 I use the brace rods 10 and 11, both ofthese rods being provided at their endswith eyes such as those at 10 and11 respectively and each rod being threaded at its opposite end as shownat l0 and 11 From the foregoing description of the various parts of thedevice the operation thereof may be readily understood.

In attaching the bracing device the threaded ends of the rods 10 and 11are placed in the respective bores 7 and 8 of the casting 6, these rodsbeing inserted from opposite sides, as clearly shown in the drawings.The ends of the rods containing the eyes are provided with screws 12 forfastening the rods to the upper and lower portions of the door. Nuts 13are then screwed onto the ends of the rods and drawn up to the desiredtension against the ends of the memher 6. The screw 10 is now insertedthrough the opening 9 and screwed into the cross member 4. This forms aneffectual brace for the door so as to take up any sagging tendenc Itwill be observed that by tightening or loosening one of the nuts theupper or the lower portion of the door may have more or less tension puton it, independent of the other portion. It is well known that in somecases the upper portion of the frame needs bracing while the lowerportion does not or vice versa, or again both portions may needtightening and this device provides for all contingencies. It is to befurther noticed that this brace operates differently from an ordinaryturnbuckle since it makes use of the intermediate cross member 4.

The device is adjustable between limits so that it is not necessary tomake bracing devices of particular length to suit each door and the factthat the rods extend in opposite directions permits an adjustment oftwice the length of the projecting portions of the rods beyond thetightening nuts.

The parts are few in number and are of comparatively light weight, "thusadding practically nothing to the weight of the door.

I claim:

1. The combination with a screen door frame having side members, abottom member, a top member, and a cross member in termediate of saidbottom and top members, of a bracing device having a portion secured tosaid intermediate cross member, and adjustable portions connectedtherewith for bracing the upper or lower portions of the doorindependently "of each other.

2. In a bracing device for screen doors, a body portion having parallelbores, an upper rod fixed at one end to the door frame and having itsopposite end extending through one of said bores, a lower rod fixed tothe lower portion of the door and having its outer end extending throughthe other of said bores, means for adjustably securing the ends of saidrod to said body portion, said last named means comprising a nutarranged to be screwed on the ends of each rod, said nuts bearing onopposite ends of said body portion, and means for securing said bodyportion to the intermediate cross member of the door.

3. In a bracing device for screen doors, a body portion'havin'g parallelbores, an upper rod fixed at one end to the door frame and "having itsopposite end extending through PETER CHRISTENSEN.

, VVit-nsses:

T. J. MORRIS, J. B. BRINDLER.

copies of this patent-may heobtained Iorwfive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

